Snowstorm
by Snow That Falls From Sky
Summary: Embark on a journey with young Healer Snow That Falls From Sky as she risks her life time and time again to save the Tribe of Falling Snow from dangers unknown. My tribute to cats of The Tribe.
1. Chapter 1

The Tribe of Falling Snow:

Healer:  
**Snow That Falls From Sky (Snow)**- Pure white she-cat with one black paw, first ever Healer of The Tribe of Falling Snow.

Prey Hunters:

**Stars on Cloudy Night (Stars)**- Dark gray she-cat, with lighter stripes on her face and blue eyes.

**Eclipse on Full Moon Night (Eclipse)**- Pure black tom, with vibrant green eyes. Best tracker in the Tribe.

**Grass That Grows on Mountainside (Grass)**- Bracken colored tom, pale gray eyes, one of the best hunters in the Tribe.

**Cherry Blossom That Blooms In Spring (Cherry)- **Pinkish-gray she-cat with cherry red eyes, newest prey hunter in the Tribe.

**Frog That Sits on Lily (Frog)- **Greenish-gray tom with green eyes. One of the oldest prey-hunters.

**Leaf That Falls From Tree (Leaf)- **Pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, named for when she fell out of a tree as a kit.

Camp Guards:

**Boulder That Rolls Down Hill (Boulder)- **Stone gray tom with dark blue eyes, only cat in the Tribe that doesn't enjoy getting wet.

**Eagle That Chases Fleeing Rabbit (Eagle)- **Eagle colored she-cat with amber eyes. Heavily built, she was born a loner, and taken into the Tribe by Snow That Falls From Sky, and raised as her own kit.

**Squirrel That Lives In Cave (Squirrel)- **Light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, daughter of Eagle That Chases Fleeing Rabbit and Frog That Sits on Lily.

**Wind That Whispers Through Trees (Wind)- **Brown-and-black tortoiseshell tom with gray eyes.

**Thunder on Stormy Night (Thunder)-** Black tom with orange lightning bolt stripes down his face and sides.

Queens and Kits:

**Sight on Misty Morning- **Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Thunder on Stormy Night's kits, Snow on River's Ice and Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass.

Elders:

none.

To Bes:

**Snow on River's Ice-** Silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass-** Small gray she-cat with pale green eyes, future Healer.

** Prologue**

Snow fell gently, covering the dry moorland grass. Pawstep by pawstep, a silver cat drew herself forward. _Crunch._ Her single black paw drew back, and the twig she had crushed was blown away by the gentle wind. "Come on, Snow! You can do this!" the she-cat hissed quietly at herself.

A shadow crossed the moon, and the she-cat flattened herself lower to the ground. The night-hunting eagle trained its eyes on her. Suddenly, it folded its wings and angled its powerful body towards her. Forcing all of her weight onto her hind paws, Snow That Falls From Sky leapt.

Fierce claws met slashing talons, fangs clashed against rock-hard beak. Blood splashed silver on the snow-covered moorland grass. With one unified screech, the two creatures fell to the ground.

Wind ruffled feathers and fur. Then the heap of blood and pain moved.

The powerful she-cat rose up, throwing the body of the night-hunting eagle off of her crimson stained fur. Throwing her head back, Snow That Falls From Sky yowled her triumph to the heavens.

Blood trickled down her forehead and into her eyes. She placed her single black paw on the raptor's neck. Extending her claws, she slashed its throat.

Blue eyes blazing, she whispered, "The thousand nights of pain have ended. The Tribe of Falling Snow is safe once again. The Night-Hunter is no more!" and with her last words, the silver-white she-cat collapsed with a splash in the eagle's blood.

_** Chapter One**_

"Eclipse on Full Moon Night, your time has come. You have trained hard to learn the ways of a prey-hunter, and it has been decided. Your mentor, Sweet Rain That Falls in Spring, has passed on, but I know it is her wish for you to be made a full prey-hunter under the full moon."

"Yes, Snow That Falls From Sky, she would have liked to see this happen on such a beautiful night."

"Then so it shall be," Snow's blue-fire eyes shone in the moonlight as she looked down at the young black tomcat. His green eyes were shining brightly, and a whisper of anticipation passed through the circle of watching Tribe cats.

"Tonight, before the stars of our ancestor's spirits, and our mother the moon, I grant this young cat full passage to the Tribe of Endless Hunting as a prey-hunter of the Tribe of Falling Snow. Eclipse on Full Moon Night, is it your wish to serve the Tribe as a prey-hunter in life, death and anything in between?"

"It is." The determination in his voice was overpowering, and his vibrant green eyes reflected the moon.

"Then I ask before your mentor's spirit. Sweet Rain That Falls in Spring, grant this young cat the courage of your spirit, and let it be. Eclipse on Full Moon Night, I welcome you into my Tribe as a full prey-hunter. Use your skills wisely, young one."

The circle of watching Tribe cats erupted in cheers, calling out Eclipse's name, and calling out Sweet's name in mourning. Leaping down from the tree branch, Snow called to a greenish-gray tomcat.

"Frog, you are an experienced prey-hunter, and you are one of my wisest cats. Take Eclipse to the waterfall, and go to Sweet Rain's grave. My mother was a good cat, and it is my wish for Eclipse to lay beside her grave in silence tonight."

"Of course." He licked the white she-cat between the ears. "She'll never stop loving you, and I know she is proud of you. You brought our Tribe back, Snow, and you ended Sen No Yoru Wo Koete Itami1. Something no other cat could have done. You are young, and will be Healer for a long time yet."

She dipped her head and blinked.

"Get some sleep, Snow. We will leave immediately." Snow nodded, and the green tom turned and began to search for the young prey-hunter.

1Sen No Yoru Wo Koete Itami is Japanese for "Thousand nights of pain"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two**_

The warm scents of milk and ferns wreathed around Snow's nose. She twitched her whiskers in amusement as she watched the kits play. Sight on Misty Morning, their mother, sighed gently and blinked. The pale gray she-cat was the first kit borne into the Tribe, and was named for the hope she had given. The camp-guard had been apprenticed to Snow, and had learned the ways of both Healer and camp-guard.

Sight's kits, borne to Snow's brother, Thunder on Stormy Night, were nearly six moons old. Old enough to become to-bes.

"Snow on River's Ice, get off of Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass this instant!" The bigger silver tabby kit leapt off of the smaller gray kit. The queen's fierce rebuke only stopped the kits for a second, and then Light pounced on Snow again and they continued to wrestle.

"Did you name them?" the Healer's blue eyes were soft with longing.

"Just one. Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass. I named her after Blood That Sustains All Life. Thunder named the other one, Snow, after you. The greatest Healer our Tribe has ever known."

The white she-cat flattened her ears. "That's not true! I'm not the greatest. Not by a long shot!"

Sight blinked her crystal blue eyes, and whispered, "You are. You killed the Blood Hawk, and ended Sen No Yoru Wo Koete Itami. You brought our Tribe back and made it great again. You are the daughter of Sweet Rain That Falls in Spring, and Fire That Burns Forever. The Tribe of Endless Hunting used to whisper about a snow-white cat with a deadly black paw that would rise up and protect us! That was, and still is, you, Snow."

The gray she-cat licked her paw and drew it over her ear. Snow looked at her, ears flattened in disbelief, tail flicking uncomfortably

"I should go now." Snow rose to her paws, gave one longing look at the kits, and turned from the nursery.

As the Healer ran, Sight called, "You can't run from your destiny forever!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter Three**_

A dense snow was falling all around her. "Mother? Are you here?" there was no desperation in the she-cat's voice, only pure wonder. Sitting down, she wrapped her fluffy tail around three of her paws, leaving the black one outstretched to dab at the falling snow. She sat in this fashion for a long while, until the bracken behind her rustled. She did not jump or start. She did not fear the Tribe of Endless Hunting, as her ancestors did nothing but care for her.

"Face me." This time, Snow did jump. She was expecting her mother's gentle mew, not the deep raspy croak of a tomcat. Snow turned around, afraid of what she might see.  
Behind her sat a huge flame-colored tom.

"Fire That Burns Forever!" Snow fluffed out her tail and looked lovingly at her father.  
"Yes, Snow That Falls From Sky, it is me. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has sent me with a message for you." The ginger tom blinked his bright green eyes.

"Okay, let me hear it." Snow sat back down and wrapped her tail around her paws, black one included.

"The Tribe sends its greetings. They have asked me to tell you that it is time."

"Time for what?" the white she-cat's eyes were shining.

"Time for you to choose. Take a mate, Snow That Falls From Sky. Your destiny _must_ be carried on."

The white-furred Healer recoiled, as if she had been clawed across the muzzle. "Healers can't take mates! The Tribe of Endless Hunting decreed that at the beginning!"

The fire-colored cat twitched his whiskers. "The Tribe of Falling Snow is special, daughter. Your Tribe is in danger, and it's something you can't face alone, no matter how much you want to."

The white queen dipped her head.  
As the ginger tom retreated from the clearing, the young white cat threw back her head and yowled.  
"Why are you doing this to me? What do you want from me? Why didn't you pick some other cat?" Only silence echoed her cries.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter Four**_

The young black tomcat watched as his Tribemates chose from the fresh-kill pile.

"Eclipse!" The black tom turned his head and saw the white Healer padding towards him, a bracken-colored hawk in her jaws.

"Yes, Healer?" He twitched his whiskers.

"Don't call me Healer. Yes, I may lead you, but I want to have friends, not just followers."

"So why did you come to me?" He watched the muscles ripple beneath her long-furred coat.

"Because I need you, Eclipse. You aren't like any other cat. I love you." She quickly bent down and ripped off one of the hawk's wings.  
The black cat moved closer to his Healer, and twined his tail in hers. "Of course I'll be your friend, Snow. Even more if you want." Her ice-blue eyes were shining as she looked at him. He licked her cheek, and took his share of the hawk.  
"Snow, Snow!" the greenish-gray form of Frog That Sits on Lily burst into the clearing. "Come quickly! It's Sight on Misty Morning!"

The snow-colored cat leapt to her paws and raced from the clearing, leaving the ferns waving behind her. Eclipse got to his paws and padded to Frog's side. "Lie down. I'll get you some water." The green elder nodded and flopped down on his side, panting heavily.

When Eclipse returned with the water-soaked moss, Frog was sitting up, but still wheezing.

"Tell me, Frog, what's wrong with Sight on Misty Morning?" The black cat pushed the water towards the gray elder.  
"I don't really know, youngster. One minute, she was in the nursery, washing her kits, and the next, she was standing in the clearing yowling about our Healer breaking a law decreed by the Tribe of Endless hunting. Something about Snow taking a mate." the old cat blinked slowly, and lapped at the moss. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Eclipse?"  
The young tom sighed. "I do. Sweet Rain came to me in a dream last night. She told me that the Tribe of Endless Hunting had chosen me." He looked at his paws. "She told me that it was their wish for me to become Snow's mate. Then the rest of the Tribe started whispering around us, telling me that her destiny must be carried on if I wanted to save our Tribe."

Frog blinked and nodded, and his voice was raspy like wind through dry ferns as he spoke. "If they have decreed it, then so it shall be. Congratulations, Eclipse. Take care of her for me. Fire That Burns Forever would never call me his brother if I placed his daughter in incapable paws."

For a moment, the two toms sat in silence, sunlight shining through the great oak leaves above their heads dappling green-gray and black pelts alike.

The black tom stood, muscles rippling, and meowed, "I will go find her. After all, I am a capable cat. No fear, Frog That Sits on Lily, I will take care of her." Dipping his head, the young tom padded from the clearing.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter Five**_

The gray queen's eyes were wide, and the crystal blue had darkened to a deep turquoise as the camp-guard gazed at her Tribemates.

"At the beginning. They decreed that no Healer would love or take a-"  
"Stop." The snowy-white cat planted her paws four-poster on the frost-covered moorland grass. "This is not your place, Sight on Misty Morning. Go back to your kits." Snow's ice-blue eyes narrowed as she flicked her tail and stepped towards the silent queen.

The cloud-gray cat flattened her ears and took a step backwards. "They will be outcast, shunned. They will have power unknown. The Tribe will not welcome them... You have been warned." The skinny queen turned and fled for the gorse bush that housed the nursery.

Snow That Falls From Sky dipped her head, ears flat. Forcing his way through the crowd of cats was a small black tom.

"Come on, Snow. You need to rest." the young prey hunter's voice was gentle, but there was an urgency in his meow.

"No. I have to tell them, Eclipse. I cannot keep secrets from my Tribe."

The young tom closed his eyes and let his head droop. "Your wish is our command, Healer."

Snow licked him between the ears and bounded to the far side of the clearing. Clawing her way up the trunk, the snowy queen perched on the lowest branch of the swaying Aspen tree.

"Tribe of Falling Snow, the Tribe of Endless Hunting calls for you."

"We answer your call, Tribe of Endless Hunting. Your wish is our Healer's command, and our Healer's command is law." the red of the setting sun in the sky beyond lit up the Tribe, casting shadows. Every cat was lean and muscular, their shadows like lions scattered across the snow-covered moor.

As the last echo of the Tribe's response to her call faded, Snow That Falls From Sky raised her meow to the cats who looked to her for guidance.

"You all heard what Sight said. The Tribe of Endless Hunting decreed that I keep no secrets from you when they gave me my nine lives.

"Sight on Misty Morning has long been a part of my Tribe, and as a young kit she witnessed me bloodstained and scarred after my battle with Sora Tora1. Our ancestors share with her as much as me.

"She is right. I have decided to take a mate."

A shocked yowl rang through the clearing. A black tom with orange lightning stripes across his face was forcing his way to the front.

"How could you? Our family has long been the bearer of great Healers, but now I am ashamed to call you littermate. Sweet Rain would be disappointed in you, Snow."

"Calm yourself, my son." the low rumble was unmistakable, and the smoky flame-colored tom perched beside the Healer was all too real.

"My son, go back to your kits." Flanking the Healer on the other side was a cream-colored she-cat.

"Tribe of Falling Snow, the Tribe of Endless Hunting has sent us to clarify. We have decided that to save the Tribe, Snow will take a mate." the she-cat flicked her ears at her mate, indicating that it was his turn to speak.

As he stepped forward, he flicked his tail over his daughter's ear, and her mother whispered,

"It'll be okay, you'll see." and Snow nodded.

"Cats of the Tribe, please listen to me." Although it was polite, his voice was commanding, and the cats had no choice but to listen.

"Before long, your Tribe will once again face danger greater than any cat can handle alone. The Tribe of Endless Hunting has sought the guidance of the stars, and they revealed a single path for your survival. Today, Sweet Rain and I were sent here to calm your fears. Snow That Falls From Sky will take a mate, she will have kits, and she will continue to be your Healer. This is the Tribe of Endless Hunting's wish, and thus it is your command. You have heard our words. Heed them carefully. Farewell, Tribe of Falling Snow, we will always watch over you."

The smoky ginger pelt had begun to fade, as well as the starry cream she-cat.

Placing her paws where her father's had been moments before, Snow That Falls From Sky addressed her Tribe.

"The Tribe has spoken. My mate will be Eclipse on Full Moon Night. Speak no more of this. Now go to your duties." as she finished, she leapt from the tree and landed neatly in the light snow. Turning towards the last rays of the sun, she padded into the roots of the tree, and into the Healer's den.

1Sora Tora is Japanese for "Sky Tiger"


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter Six  
**_

"Tribemates! Today I gather you for a task I enjoy like the best piece of fresh-kill! The making of To-bes!"

The cats gathered around the base of the great Aspen tree erupted in cheers, pushing and shoving for the best places to watch.

Then, they split right down the middle and four cats entered the center of the circle.

"Sight on Misty Morning and Thunder on Stormy Night have informed me that their kits are ready to begin their training.

"I have decided to take on a to-be." Her bright-blue gaze raked across the cats, daring one of them to challenge her decision.

"Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass, come forward." the tiny gray she-cat looked at her father for encouragement, and he bent his lightning-striped head to nudge her forward.

"You have reached your sixth moon, and it is time to begin your training so that you may take your rightful place among our Tribe.

"Your namesake, Blood That Sustains All Life, was a brave, loyal cat, and I hope you are the same. I will be your mentor." The snowy-white she-cat leapt from the tree, and padded over to the young cat. Touching noses, both cats raced back to the tree, to-be leaping for the roots, Healer clawing her way up the trunk.

"And now, my final task. Snow on River's Ice, as your namesake, I will tell you personally. I expect nothing of you, just do your best. Frog That Sits on Lily, your time is going quickly, so train this young cat well. She is your last to-be. I expect a great prey hunter out of her."

A huge gray-green tom padded from the circle of watching cats, over to the young white to-be. Touching noses, they padded back to the circle.

Jumping back to the ground, Snow bounded to her new follower. The young she-cat raced over, tail sticking straight up in the air.

"We're going hunting. Are you ready for your first lesson?"

"Oh, yes! When do we leave?" her pale green eyes were shining brightly, and she was kneading the ground with still kit-sharp claws.

"Right now. Follow me, and stay close until you get to know the territory a little better."

Then, pelts brushing, the two cats padded toward a great bramble tunnel and to the open world outside.

"Remember, stay low to the ground. And don't move your tail. Even out your weight, put it on all four paws. Great! Now, set your paws down light as feathers. Just like that! Now, can you find the prey?"

The young gray cat nodded, her ears pricked and mouth open. Silently, she began to creep forward, towards a rustling fern.

Pricking her own ears, Snow heard the faint beat of a tiny heart.

_Mouse!_

She crouched down and flattened her ears before remembering,

_No! This is her hunt!_

Sitting back, she looked at the young gray tabby who was preparing to spring. Suddenly, there was a great crashing noise, and the brambles began swaying wildly.

Leaping out of her hunter's crouch, the to-be unsheathed her claws, and her tail began to snap back and forth like a dancing snake.

Then, a cat burst into the clearing, and two cries became a single one.

"Thunder!" both she-cats raced to his side and stared at his bloodstained pelt.

Taking command, Snow straightened up. "Who did this?" Her voice did not waiver and her expression was blank.

"It...came from the hills... out of nowhere... attacked camp..." His breathing was ragged and his eyes began to close.

"Thunder, stay with me! Light, go get me cobwebs. This is your first lesson as Healer."

Nodding, the young cat raced off into the roots of a beech tree.

Stalking over to a great, leafy plant, snow began stripping leaves.

The two she-cats bent over the great tomcat.

"I'm going to chew this into a pulp. It's horsetail, good for shock, fever and infection. After I press this on, put the cobwebs over it so it will heal."

The to-be nodded, and Snow began to chew up the leaves.

The three cats stood at the edge of the clearing, the great black tom in the middle supported by a smaller white she-cat and an even smaller gray one.

A fierce determination clouded the she-cat's eyes as they began to pad forward, their injured Tribemate between them.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter Seven**_

__ The snow that always seemed to be falling on the Tribe's mountain and moorland home had turned into a hissing downpour.

The darkening clouds rumbled overhead, lightning flashing in the distance.

The three cats padded onward, ears flattened, claws unsheathed and pelts colored gray or black by the driving rain. Their wet fur whipped against their own skin, as well as the skin of their Tribemates.

Over the wind, the youngest cat yowled,

"We need to shelter! This storm's bound to blow us off the mountain! Thunder needs rest, and so do you!"

The larger she-cat nodded and they veered off the trail into the shelter of a small crevice.

Hunkering down to lick and dry their soaked fur, the elder she-cat spoke.

"We've never had this kind of weather before. It must be a sign from the Tribe of Endless Hunting."

The younger gray cat looked up from washing her tail. Her pale green eyes were vacant, and her voice was misty.

"Their time has come. There will be four. Two will live and two will die. Choose wisely."

As the last words were spoken, the white Healer shuddered and collapsed.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter Eight**_

A weak ray of sunlight penetrated Snow's closed eyes, and she blinked awake. Stiffening, she pricked her ears.

The sound of tiny mewling was close by.

"Light? Thunder?" the white queen called as she stood up.

"Over here, Snow." Snow sighed in relief upon hearing her to-be's voice. Closing her eyes, Snow stretched her front paws out in front of her, tail sticking straight out behind.

Inhaling deeply, Snow straightened up and began to pad towards the scent of her young to-be.

As the shape of the young gray cat entered her sight, Snow heard, once again, a tiny mewling. Only this time, it was much closer.

When she rounded the corner, the gray she-cat looked up, a bright smile shining in her eyes.

"Come and meet your kits!" Snow stopped dead.

_My kits?_ She thought. _I don't have kits!_

"What's the matter, Snow? Don't you want to meet them?" Disappointment rang clearly in her voice.

"Of course I do!" Snow forced her voice to be cheerful, and began to pad forward once more.

Crouching side by side, the two she-cats watched silently as the four kits wriggled and squirmed.

"You have to name them," Light said as Snow circled around her kits and drew them in to suckle.

Closing her eyes, Snow sighed.

"The fluffy gray one will be Stream That Flows Through Mountain Silver."

Light nodded her agreement.

"And the brown tabby will be Hawk That Soars Through Sky." The young tabby squeaked, paws kneading his mother's belly as he fed.

"The black one will be Storm That Rides The Wind." The little kits wriggled closer to their mother's warm belly.

"What about the dark gray one?" the kit was not pressed up against his mother's belly, but was snuggled up close to Light's paws.

"Jay Who Brings Morning Light." as she whispered the words, the fluffy gray kit looked up at Light and blinked open a pair of blue-fire eyes.

Light recoiled and the kit crumpled into a small heap. Leaping to her paws, Snow cried, "What's wrong with you? You could have hurt him!"

"His eyes... Snow, I think he might be blind!" Light's green eyes softened.

"I know he's blind. He'll live, though. He's strong." Snow stretched out a paw and drew the kit back to her side.

"I had better go check on Thunder. Perhaps he can tell us what attacked him today." Light straightened her tail and Snow nodded, her eyes still watching the kits.

As soon as the to-be was out of earshot, Snow licked each kit between the ears and promised:

"You will all live. I will make sure of it."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter Nine**_

When Light emerged in the larger part of the cave, Thunder was sitting up, giving himself a good wash.

"Feeling better?" Light inquired as she sat down by his side.

"Only thanks to you, young Healer." He bent his head and licked his kit between the ears.

"So, do you want to tell me what happened? Why you're covered in scratches?" Light tucked her paws under her, settling in for the sharing of her father's story.

The camp-guard's eyes clouded, fear shining clearly in their amber depths. Taking a deep breath, the camp-guard settled in and began to speak.

"It was just before sunhigh and I was returning to camp with a hunting party. Of course, the day was warm, so prey was plentiful.

"Moments after they had left their kills on the pile, cats began screeching and yowling, and a foreign scent flooded the camp.

"Immediately, I called all of the guards to my side, the hunters surrounding the nursery. We lined ourselves up against the bramble wall. I ordered them to stay there while I went to check it out.

"I knew right then that stepping out of camp was the worst idea I've ever had.

"Not even two pawsteps from the barrier, I was seized by huge, slavering jaws. I managed to yowl my battle cry to the rest of the guards before launching my own attack on the creature.

"Upon hearing the guards' cries, the creature dropped me and I quickly regained my paws." The tomcat drew another deep breath before continuing.

"When I turned to face it, I stopped dead.

"Standing in front of me was an enormous... well, it looked like a dog, with great big teeth and a huge, sweeping tail.

"I took all of this in before I launched myself at it. Following my lead, all the guards flew into battle with me. It was over in a mere second.

"As the guards bit and scratched, the thing became confused. I knew they could handle it, so I called to Eagle That Chases Fleeing Rabbit and told her that I was going to find Snow.

"That's when I took off, following your scent trail.

"You know what happened after that, and thus, we are here." Closing his eyes, Thunder sighed.

"Sounds like we have a wolf problem." Neither of the cats had noticed the Healer sitting at the entrance of the cave.

Her blue eyes were filled with knowing as she stood up and padded into the sunlight.

"So here's what we're going to do..." the Healer's voice rang clear. This was her destiny, and she knew what needed done.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter Ten**_

__Seven cats exited the cave, coats gleaming and muscles rippling. Each of the elder cats had a kit dangling from between their jaws; the last one perched safely between the big black tom's shoulders.

Taking the lead, the snowy Healer set off down the trail, the fluffy gray kit in her jaws protesting loudly.

Picking their way slowly down slopes of rubble and shattered stone, the cats proceeded off the mountain and onto the springy, crisp moorland grass.

Heeding the kits' loud yowling, they stopped under a grove of young oak trees. Curling around the kits, Snow blinked slowly. She lay in this fashion for a while before Light realized that she was asleep.

Deciding it was a good idea to get some rest, Light padded over to the base of one of the saplings and began tearing moss off of the trunk. Moments later, she was curled deep in a nest of moss, fast asleep.

The smell of rabbit filled Snow's nose and she blinked awake. Her brother was sitting two tail-lengths away, a small pile of fresh-kill at his paws.

"I thought I would hunt. After all, nursing queens tend to get cranky without food." His mew was teasing as he picked up the rabbit and carried it to her.

"Light!" the big black tom called to his daughter, just before plucking a sparrow off of the little pile and padding over to the little gray she-cat.

Raising her head, she flicked her ears at her father, the smile in her eyes giving him all thanks needed.

As they finished their fresh-kill, Snow began to nose her kits awake.

"Stream, Hawk, Storm, Jay! Wake up! It's time to move on. Soon we'll be safe at home in the nursery." a mixture of pain and anger clouded the white she-cats eyes as she reached for Jay's scruff.

Once the kits were situated, the seven cats set off once more in the direction of the falling sun.

"Who goes there?" Boulder That Rolls Down Hill's voice was wary.

"Thunder on Stormy Night, Snow That Falls From Sky, Light That Shines on Bloodstained Grass, and four kits." in the light of the moon, the gray tom nodded and stepped aside.

The kits were taken to the center of the clearing, and Snow clawed her way up the base of the ancient aspen tree.

"Tribe of Falling Snow, please gather." at her call, cats of the Tribe began emerging from various dens.

"Tonight, I return home with an addition to our Tribe. As you all know, Thunder came to find me, but on our return trip, we were caught in a terrible storm and had to shelter.

"That night, Light helped to deliver my four precious kits. Stream That Flows Through Mountain Silver, Hawk That Soars Through Sky, Storm That Rides the Wind, and Jay Who Brings Morning Light.

"Jay Who Brings Morning Light is blind, but I expect him treated the same as any cat.

"Now, begone with you all!" as she finished, there was a rustling at the bramble barrier, and two cats entered the clearing.

"Snow That Falls From Sky, you have to help us!" The tabby she-cat's amber eyes were bright with fear.

"We come from the Tribe of Blazing Fire, and our Healer has sent us for help. There is sickness, and the Tribe of Endless Hunting told us that Falling Snow cures all."

Leaping down from the branch, Snow addressed all cats.

"I will go. Thunder, Light, care for them while I am gone." flicking her tail at the two foreign cats, she turned and padded out of the camp, moonlight turning her fur into white fire, destined to blaze forever.

_**Catch the sequel! Jay's Moon will be out soon!**_


End file.
